Photos
by B00k Freak
Summary: Since Skye decided to pry so much with Andrew, Melinda decides to look through an old photo album with her. Set mid-season 2.


It wasn't until the end of the day that Skye saw her SO again, and even though it was just a 'deflection tactic' or whatever, she still wanted to set things straight if Andrew had talked to her. She was practicing meditation on her bed when May walked in. "It's better on the floor." She said, observing her student, "You're less likely to fall asleep."

Skye smiled a little, not opening her eyes. "Part of me wants to go to sleep anyway, so..." May smirked and Skye opened her eyes. "I wasn't trying to pry earlier, with Andrew." She said, even though she wasn't sure if May even knew what she was talking about. "I just- I wanted to talk about something... not me, so..."

"I know." She didn't _sound_ pissed off, which was always a plus, right?

"A-and I don't need to know any of that stuff, okay? The wedding, all that, it doesn't matter." Her gaze fixed on the ground. "You were standing between me and a crazy Asgardian with a sword last week, so... I don't need to know anything else."

Skye was silent for a little while, blushing ever so slightly and refusing to look at her SO. When she finally did look up, it was to see a look of what could have been amusement on her face. "What?" She asked defensively, then noticed that May was holding something behind her back. "What's that?"

Skye knew her well enough now to know when May was trying not to laugh. "I thought you might want to look through some old pictures," She said innocently, revealing the photo album which she had been concealing, "But if you don't _need to know_ about any of that..."

The young agent stared incredulously at her, open-mouthed and speechless. Melinda had to gnaw on the inside of her lip to keep from smiling any wider. "You- you-... You SUCK!" Skye cried eventually, and May shook with silent laughter. "Gimmie!" She grabbed for the leather folder, almost falling off her bed, but May held it back.

"You did say you didn't need to see it." She said thoughtfully, teasingly. Skye was pretty sure that if she was anyone else she'd be dangling the album over her head and playing keep-away.

As it was May was almost two inches smaller than her. That didn't mean that Skye couldn't enjoy the game though. "Please?" She pouted, eyes wide and shining with crocodile tears.

May rolled her eyes. "Please. That only works on Coulson."

Skye widened her eyes and stuck out her bottom lip, exaggerating the expression as much as she could. She liked seeing May like this, smiling and having fun.

Melinda shook her head despairingly. "You look like your eyes are going to fall out." She said, and Skye lost her focus, snorting. She pushed Skye until she moved over and sat down on the bed beside her, purposefully putting the album on her other side, where Skye couldn't reach. "How did you go with Andrew?" She had heard Andrew's report, but needed to hear Skye's thoughts too.

She had to think about it. "Okay, I think. He's kind of pushy though."

"Well when you spend most of _your_ therapy session trying to talk about me then the pushiness is necessary."

Skye felt the need to protest that. "It wasn't _most_ of the session! It was, like, five minutes, tops." May rolled her eyes. "He's good." The younger agent admitted, "I-I need some time is all. I've never been that good with opening up."

"Join the club."

Skye grinned and a moment later, snatched the photo album from around her back. "Ha!" She cried victoriously, even though she knew that May had let her take it.

Skye put the album down between them, waiting to see if May would take it back. Instead, she opened the cover, revealing the first few photos.

"Nice dress." Skye teased. It wasn't terrible really. Just ill fitting, a little stained, and _not_ the thing that Skye ever imagined May to wear. All ruffles and flowers... okay, it was terrible.

May smiled. "It was a rental."

" _God_ , I hope so."

She actually laughed at that, stifling it with one hand, but Skye still grinned. She liked seeing May happy. It was a rare sight, but one that she could definitely get used to.

Skye whistled at the picture of Andrew in a _gorgeous_ suit. "Congrats on the catch, by the way." She said. "He is one fine man."

May hadn't stopped smiling. "I know." If Skye thought she could fluster her she was going to have to do better than that.

"Could just take a bite out of him."

"Oh, I did."

Skye choked on air, caught between retching and laughing. "Oh my _God._ Never say that again."

May shrugged. "You started it."

Skye grinned and turned the page. Now it was one of them together. She sighed, "You two looked really happy."

May's eyes became slightly misty. "We were."

"When- How long's it been?" Skye asked hesitantly.

May stared at the picture, lost in the memory. "We divorced seven years ago."

"Why, what happened?" Skye immediately backtracked, "Sorry- I shouldn't... it's none of my business." Couples problems were their own.

"You're right, it's not." May said softly, and paused. "Bahrain happened." It was the first time she had mentioned Bahrain to Skye directly. She knew that the others had spun their stories, but Melinda hadn't wanted to tell Skye any kind of details for a long time.

Skye's face fell. She had figured that, but it was still bad. Coulson had told her what Bahrain had done to May, but it had torn apart her marriage too? "I'm sorry."

"Thank you." She sat back on the bed with a soft sigh and offered no more words on the topic.

Skye was uncertain as to whether or not a hug would be well received, so she settled for a gentle squeeze of May's shoulder. Skye hesitantly turned the page again, waiting for her to take the album back, but hoping she wouldn't.

A smile started to tug at May's lips at the next couple of photos, and Skye grinned too. "That your dad?"

Melinda nodded. "You'd like him. Always says that mom cut vegetables to threaten him."

Skye snorted, turned the page and her grin widened. "I guess the glare's genetic, huh?"

The jibe earned her a half-hearted punch on the arm, but May was still smiling. "She wasn't too happy that we eloped."

"Wow, why not?" Skye said sarcastically, and Melinda rolled her eyes.

Skye knew that May had her agenda being here. Trying to prove to her that she wasn't alone, that they wouldn't abandon her. She appreciated it. Plus, this was nice. It was fun and joking, and felt like family, which was what Skye needed more than anything.

When she turned the next page, May's eyes widened in surprise and she tried to pull the book back. She had forgotten that was in there.

Skye was faster. "Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed, holding the album out of May's reach. "That's you?"

"Skye-"

"You were so _cute!"_ She exclaimed, smiling widely at the image of a very young Melinda, barely four years old, dressed in a miniature karate uniform, looking very serious at the camera. "Hang on, I think I've got my new lock screen." She rifled through her pockets for her phone and May grabbed at the album.

"The hell you do!" May exclaimed, trying to pull it from Skye's hands to no end.

Skye pulled it back and curled protectively around it. When May still tried to pry the album from her hands, she couldn't help it and started laughing.

Melinda smiled. She hadn't heard Skye laugh since well before Puerto Rico. She needed this happiness.

Only a few moments after she had started laughing, Skye froze, her eyes wide. Waiting, listening. Nothing was shaking, nothing was broken. Everything was... okay?

"Hey," May shoved her shoulder. "You good?"

Skye let the breath escape, smiling tentatively. "Yeah." She mumbled, hugging the photo album to her chest.

The softness in May's eyes told her that she knew exactly what was going through her head. "Good."

Skye smiled more widely. She could control her powers when she was happy, she could stop them most of the time, in fact. There was nothing to say she couldn't control them when she got upset too, with some help.

And she had that, didn't she? Skye glanced up at May warmly, not yet making a move to sit up. She knew that once she did, this moment would end. Skye didn't want that.

Trying to steal just a little more time, she opened the album to a random page, just wanting to see one more picture, one more glimpse of May's past.

"...Oh."

Melinda cocked her head. "What?"

Skye felt tears well up for reasons she couldn't quite work out, and sat up, eyes still fixed on the picture. It was a happy picture, but she still felt a pang of sadness.

May pulled the album over to see. "Oh." She smiled. It was her and Phil's graduation. Both were grinning insanely at the camera, and Melinda had even jumped up onto Phil's back for the picture. He had dropped her seconds later, so it was something of a miracle that the picture existed in the first place. That was a good day. A good memory. "Academy graduation." She supplied, certain that Skye didn't know.

Skye simply stared at the picture. They were both so young. _Her_ age. And so... happy. May especially. What had the world done to her? What happened to the light in her eyes and the ease of her smile?

Melinda noticed the sadness in her eyes. "What's up?"

"Nothing." Skye said softly, closing the album.

"It's not nothing." May argued, fixing her with a look. "What is it?"

Skye knew she wasn't getting out of answering, but she burrowed into May's side anyway. "Thanks for being here." She said. "It means a lot."

"No problem." Melinda murmured, wrapping one arm around her. "But you still have to tell me what's wrong with the picture."

Skye sucked in a breath. "It's nothing, just..." She rested her head on May's shoulder and sighed. "I've never seen you that happy."

Oh. Of course. Skye was making earthquakes that could tear their base apart and get herself killed, but she was worried about Melinda. Of course. "I'm okay Skye."

"Yeah." She mumbled. "I just- you deserve better than okay."

There was something touching about her concern, and Melinda pulled her a little closer. "I'm getting there."

"Good." Skye said, then abandoned any pretence that was left and flung her arms around her. "Thanks... for everything."

Melinda smiled to herself and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You too." She murmured, and, somehow, Skye understood what she meant.


End file.
